Dancing Between the Raindrops
by EpicTalesOfBoredom
Summary: Aren't we all broken? Don't we all need somebody to help us hold things together? Sometimes, understanding is the best love we can offer.
1. Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter

**Dedication:** This fanfic is dedicated to my reader and foreign pen-pal, Arbmaster 16. May this story always find a place in your heart and remind you of your friends.

 **Disclaimer:** Sonic and all intellectual property belongs to Sega and Archie Comics, with the exception of the OCs presented within and the storyline. Arby the Hedgehog and Nocturne the Chameleon belong to _Arbmaster 16_ and Garret the Ferret as well as all orginal content belongs to _TheEpicTales_.

 **Continuity and Setting:** This fanfic is set in the Archie Comics universe six years after the defeat of Robotnik at the hands of the Knothole Freedom Fighters. My OC, Garret the Ferret, was a member of this team and has since gone his separate way like most of the other canon characters. You can expect to see Team Chaotix, Sally Acorn, and Sonic and Knuckles (maybe, for the last two).

 **Warning:** The following contains dark material and strong language, tabacco and alcohol references, some lime content, and good grammar. You've been warned.

 **Special Note:** The inspiration for this story came from a PM sent to me by Arbmaster 16 as follows: "There's an image; A ferret on the couch and a drenched and shivering hedgehog on the floor." Special thanks to _Arbmaster 16_ for being the inspiration. And to _GoldenBullet_ , _Mischevous Whisper_ , and many others for being the dedicated readers who have helped me continue to do what I love.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter**

Stepping outside the noisy restaurant, Garret let out a small breath of relief. It wasn't that he disliked where he was working or the people he worked with, in fact, he loved everything about it. But sometimes, he just enjoyed being able to relax and let his mind wander. Tonight had been another busy day for Jack's Burgers, but his shift passed faster than it he expected. He smiled as he reflected how perception warps everything. Life was really just what you made of it. Time was one of things that passes faster when you stop counting the minutes and just live in the moment.

The parking lot was fairly full, with cars belonging to several customers and employees alike filling nearly every available parking spot and some made a spot where one didn't exist. He glanced over the dim area, observing the many idle machines. He turned away as he walked towards the street on the left side of the building. He had a car, he just simply preferred to walk. There was something almost mediatative about it. During the hour long walk to and from his residence and place of employment gave him plenty of time to reflect on the day's prior events and muse on what tomorrow would bring.

He paused as he felt something small and light drop on his exposed arm. Glancing up, he noticed the black sky had begun to drizzle. Just as well, it wouldn't damper his mood in the slightest. He liked the rain. It washed the earth clean of its stagnation and allowed for new growth to follow. Resuming his slow walk down the mostly barren street, Garret just let his mind drift over the day.

There wasn't anything unusual. His morning routine consisted of nothing more than a quick shower, some careless grooming, and snatching a quick breakfast as he headed out for his job downtown. After that, he would arrive at Jack's in his uniform, clock in, and figure out where he was going to placed for the day. Typically it was drive-thru like most days, and today was no exception. He wasn't the friendliest of sorts, but customers nonetheless recognized him and knew that he would get their order quickly and accurately. During his lunch, he'd step outside, ten feet from the building and puff on one or two cigarettes before heading back in to sit in the break room and scribble in his notebook. He was something of an author, but rarely finished any of the projects he started because he would easily get distracted by a new idea or plot line and follow that for a time before moving on to something different entirely. Once his break was over, he'd step back into his corner for drive-thru and pick where he left off until his shift ended. It was familiar, stable. It was his comfort zone.

Before he realized it, he was already almost halfway to his house and he laughed silently. His routine was so familiar, it had become almost second nature. He was just on the edge of the downtown area when he heard something down one of the shady alleyways to his right. Normally, he'd brush it off and continue moving, but this time, it sounded... violent. Pausing his step, he glanced down the alley and watched for a moment, but it was too dark to see much of anything beyond the streetlight he was standing under. The rain had also gotten considerably heavier, already his bright red t-shirt stuck to his skin and his fur had begun to mat. At last, he heard a clear, masculine voice come from down the alleyway, deep and menacing. Another voice followed, softer and more feminine accompanied by a whimper and a smacking sound.

Alerted, his blood began to boil as he stepped closer to the alleyway. A mugging, no doubt, or a domestic disturbance at the very least. That was the one thing he hated most about the city. For all the glammor and pretty buildings, the city had an ugly side to it. It was as if the concrete jungle attracted both the worst and the best of people. He had more experience with the good sort, like the ones he worked with, but he'd seen and heard his fair share of the brutal side of the city. Calling out, he attempted to sound firm as he asked if anyone was down the alleyway. That's when a large shape shifted in the darkness and stepped forward, partially into the light. It was a rat, unusually tall and broad for one of his species. The male glowered at him threateningly as he curled his lip at the ferret. "Get lost. This doesn't concern you, ferret boy."

Garret stood firm. He felt in his pocket for the small knife he carried with him at all times. It wouldn't help much if the attacker had a firearm, but just knowing it was there gave the ferret some small sense of confidence. "It concerns me when somebody could be in danger," he replied with no hesitation shown either in his face or voice.

The other mobian sneered. "You want to make it your problem?" The rat stepped closer. As he did, Garret could discern the shape of two small figures crouched fearfully behind him. Garret's face grew much more grimmer.

"Let them go."

"Or what?" asked the rat mockingly. He sized the ferret up. The first mobian was taller than most mobians, but very thin and didn't seem to have any muscular strength to back up his bold words. The rat smiled as he lifted the crowbar in his right hand and waved it tauntingly at the ferret.

Garret's face flickered for a small instant. Perhaps he should have kept walking and ignored the sound in the first place, but... there were two innocents being bullied by this dickweed. Garret's resolve was absolute. "I'll say it one last time, let the people go."

The rat didn't reply. Clearly this guy wasn't going to be intimidated. Launching forward without warning, the rat swung the crowbar with surprisng speed, aiming for the ferret's side. Much to the rat's surprise, the ferret stepped swiftly out the crowbar's range and retaliated with a quick kick to the legs. The second mobian cried out as he lost his balance and crashed forward. Catching himself on a cluster of shiny, tin garbage bins, the rat steadied himself and shot a murderous glare back at his adversary. The ferret looked calm, as if it wasn't his first scuffle with petty criminals, nor was it.

The rat brought himself up to his full height and rushed forward again, this time bringing the crowbar in a diagonal arc, once again aiming for the ferret's most exposed area. Garret sidestepped it once more and caught the rat off-balance one last time. The rat stumbled slightly less, yet by the time he regained his balance, the rat noticed something glint in the corner of his eye. Focusing on it, the rat realized it was a knife. Not a large one, but dangerous enough all the same.

"Want to try that again?" asked the ferret, casually twirling the knife in his hand.

The rat hesitated, but that was all his former victims needed as one stood up and hit him square in the back with a discarded metal pipe. The rat was knocked forward into the ferret by the unexpected force and the first mobian responded by hooking the rat under the jaw with his free fist. The rat dropped the crowbar and it slid under a dumpster as he fell to the ground. When he tried to rise, a heavy boot instantly crunched down on his hand, halting his movement as pain lanced through his arm. The rat looked up. "Stay down," warned the ferret.

Glancing up, the ferret looked over the one who had hit the ruffian with the pipe. As the murky outline slowly came into focus, Garret surmurized that the third mobian was female and around three and a half feet tall. The figure was rather slight like himself and he could tell she was a hedgehog from her obvious spikes on her head. Garret briefly flashed back to time when he knew someone who looked identical to the person he was looking at right now. But. That was six years ago, and this one was female, not male like the one he was thinking of. Forcing himself to return to the present, the ferret cleared as his voice as he spoke to the third mobian. "Hey... are you okay?"

The other remained silent for a moment as she looked down at the incapacitated rat on the ground. When she did answer, it was barely audible. "I'm fine... Thanks."

Garret frowned, but shrugged it off as the other trying to appear brave in front of yet another stranger. Turning his gaze back over to the second former victim, he found that she too had stood up and was standing close to the hedgehog wielding the pipe. Due to the rainfall and dim lighting, he couldn't make out any discernable traits beyond the figure looking vaguely feminine. Finally, he turned his gaze back once more to the rat beneath him. The trapped mobian was cursing and making vague threats under his breath as he waited for the pressure to be released. Garret considered what to do with him for a moment, before deciding calling the cops wouldn't solve much. A more... vigilantic idea came to him. Easing the pressure on the rat's hand for a second, the ferret reapplied the force back on the appendage with one swift, brutal movement, snapping the bones within. The rat screamed out as he felt the brittle sticks shatter in his right hand, effectively crippling it. Satisfied, the ferret removed his foot and stepped back as the rat instantly curled up and nursed the wounded attachment to his arm.

"You, motherfucker!" were the first words the rat managed to squeeze out through his terse vocal chords. "I'll- I'll find where you live and I'll-"

"Then I'll just have to break the other one," the ferret finished. Ignoring the injured mobian's cursing and moaning, the ferret took a wary step towards the two females he had rescued. As he did, the hedgehog raised the pipe again threateningly before her companion tugged on her coat side.

"Arby," she said softly, almost pleadingly, "he rescued us."

Garret smiled reassuringly. "Actually, your friend did most of the work. I just distracted the guy long enough for her to give him a taste of his own medicine."

The hedgehog, Arby, hesitated, clearly torn between mistrusting the stranger who had come to their aid with unknown motives and her friend's plea. At length, the hedgehog slowly lowered the blunt instrument. "I'm sorry. We're fine. Thank you for stepping in anyways."

"Well, I couldn't have just kept walking," he replied dismissively, before realizing he could have and nearly did. He shuddered to think what might of happened if he had. The city might've claimed two more bodies to feed its insatiable appetite for death and destruction. "I'm Garret. And, I take it, you must be Arby."

The hedgehog still bristled. "Yes. Why does it matter?"

"Because I usually like to know the names of the people I help."

Arby kept silent. Her companion spoke up. "My name's Nocturne."

The hedgehog turned on her. "Shut up!" she hissed.

The ferret stowed his knife away back in his pocket. "It's alright. I don't mean either of you harm," he told her in the calmest voice he could manage. He reached a hand out.

The other hesitated once more before slowly accepting it. He noticed her fur was black and her gloves were both ripped and dirty. Shaking it gently, Garret smiled once again. "How about I help you ladies get home tonight? The city's a pretty big place, but I'm no hurry."

"We'll manage."

Garret's smile faded as he came to the conclusion that the the other wasn't going start being trusting of him any time soon. "Oh," he said slowly, "I understand. Well... be safe." Turning away, the ferret started to leave before the hedgehog's companion rushed forward and caught his shoulder.

"Wait! We'll go."

Garret turned back to face her and he realized she was a chameleon. A black one.

"Nocturne!"

The chameleon glanced back at her friend before turning her bright, emerald green eyes back to the ferret. "Please excuse Arby. She isn't exactly quick to trust strangers."

Garret looked between the two before nodding. "Understandable. Smart even. Where do you live?"

"Not far. It'll be easier to show you."

"Alright then." The two mobians looked back at the third who appeared ready to argue before gradually letting the pipe drop and stepping closer.

"Fine. But just to the park," she reluctantly agreed.

With a silent nod of agreement, the three left the street thug crumpled in the corner of the alley as they began walking once more down the street. And Garret thought about how glad he was he hadn't been driving that night.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, clearly, this going to be an OC-centric story, which I tend to shy away from, yet something about this story and the sentence that inspired it told me it was a good idea and an amazing gesture of friendship. I'll understand if only a handful of people notice it or even like it. It's not about reviews or recognition; it's about self-expression and a true friendship. The somber tone can be depressing at times, but this is a new angle for me and a great one I believe. Regardless, if you have any comments, concerns, or complaints, direct them to me. I'll respond if I can, but you might not always like the reply. This is a pretty personal prompt for me and I intend to see it through. (Reviews are still appreciated though)

~TheEpicTales


	2. Chapter 2: One Night

**Chapter 2: One Night**

Less than ten minutes after their scuffle with the mobian in the alleyway, the trio reached the park Arby had mentioned. It was the largest park in Mobotropolis, on the outskirts of the downtown district and well-known for it's high concentration of homeless folk and late-night criminals. When Garret realized this was the park they were talking about, his pace slowed before stopping completely. Arby and Nocturne kept moving forward for another few steps before they realized that the ferret was no longer keeping up with them. Curious, but reserved, they glanced back at him. "Are you okay?" asked Nocturne.

"This is the park?" he asked.

Arby nodded reluctantly.

Garret shook his head once. "I can't let you guys cut through it alone. It's even more dangerous than the alleyways of the city."

"We won't be going through it," answered Nocturne, "we live here."

Garret blinked as he instantly understood what they meant. They were homeless. It made sense now, their torn, messy clothes mismatched and in the case of Nocturne, several sizes too small. He had intially assumed their sorry state was a result of the skirmish in the alley, but now he realized it was mostly from living on the streets. Further, this explained why they were out so late at night.

Arby seemed annoyed that the chameleon had spoken too much to ferret. She frowned and grabbed Nocturne's hand as she tried to lead the other female into the park without a word more to Garret. Moving into action, the ferret rushed forward and caught the hedgehog's jacket.

Halting, the hedgehog whirled on the ferret and shoved his hand off of her. Garret let it drop as he gave the two a grave, yet sympathetic, look. "What happened?" was all he asked.

"About what?" snapped the hedgehog.

"Why are you living like this?"

"Because my dad was an abusive piece of shit and when my mom died, I was tossed out on my ass. I found Nocturne later. Enough info for ya? Good-bye." She said the last word as if it was final, and turned to retreat to her home in the park.

Garret wasn't satisfied. He couldn't morally let the girls leave and potentially get beaten again by another lowlife. It appeared to be a mugging this time, but next time it could be rape, or arguably worse, murder. Catching her arm this time, Garret impeded her progress to make her face him again.

At this point, Arby was getting outright pissed by the ferret's unwanted persistance. "What? You've already escorted us home, what more do you want?!"

"To offer you a place to stay."

Arby began to create a sharp reply when what exactly the ferret had said registered. At first, she was at a loss for words. On the surface, it seemed innocent enough. Too good to be true even. But in Arby's experience, it usually was. Any man who offered something like that wanted something in return and, usually, that was sex. The last she had taken a man's offer and refused to "upkeep her end of the bargain", well... She didn't want to think about it. No. She couldn't accept his offer. With her luck, he'd turn out to be another one of those sickos who rescued women only for one reward in mind. And they'll try to take it by force when she won't give it willingly.

"Thanks, but no thanks," she replied coldly, wresting her arm from his grip.

Nocturne looked down shyly as Garret turned his soft brown gaze towards her for support. Nocturne herself knew what offers like that lead to and how it turned out for Arby the last time they'd taken a guy up on an offer like that.

Fortunately, Garret was more perceptive than most people realized. On the surface, he could be serious, sardonic, and, ocassionally, brutally honest. But, beneath that thick shell of personal detachment and flat sarcasm, he was a teddy bear that shared empathy more often than he let on. He knew that the girls were thankful for his intervention, but weren't quite at the level of comfort with him to take his sudden and admittedly strange offer. Pushing his face to be as nonthreatening as it could go, Garret pressed the issue once more. "Please. I couldn't bear to think what might happen to you guys if I just let you leave. The street life is no way to live, believe me, I've been there."

Arby and Nocturne exchanged a brief, uncertain expression. The ferret did seem earnest in his desire to help them, but it didn't diminish the fact he was a male and just as likely as the other ones who had tried to "help" them in the past. Nocturne moved closer to Arby. "We could...-" she began, quietly.

"No," Arby cut her off. "We'll be fine. **We** always have."

"Please, Arby, you didn't let me finish. He came to our rescue, if he'd wanted to, he could've done whatever he wanted to us."

"Don't remind me."

"Just one night? It's cold and it's raining."

Arby stared for a long moment at the chameleon, remembering that she was cold-blooded and more sensitive to the enviroment than herself. She stared into the chameleon's pleading emerald gaze and, slowly, her resolve dissipated. With an annoyed sigh, Arby gave up. "Fine," she growled with the slighest of edges she could manage around her friend, "One night. Then we leave." Arby pointed one finger straight up, emphasizing the condition she had.

"Oh thank you, Arby!" cried the chameleon as she wrapped her arms around the hedgehog in a tight hug.

"Yes, yes; you can release me now," stated the hedgehog, both with exasperation and traces of good-natured humor in her voice. Turning back to ferret who was shuffling his feet awkwardly while they had their private discussion, Arby straightened up while Nocturne remained shyly looking at the male from behind Arby's shoulder. "Fine."

The ferret looked up, relief etched plainly on his face.

"One night. Thank you for the offer," continued Arby. The ferret broke out in a small grin that could only be described as goofy. " **But** ," Arby pushed on before the ferret could say anything, "Any funny business and we're outta there. You'll never see us again. Understood?"

Garret blinked as he tried to think of an appropiate response. At last, Garret managed to find the right words. "Of course," he agreed, nodding amicably. "No jokes or puns, got it."

Arby's eye twitched. 'Is he serious?' she thought, 'Why do we always get stuck with the bloody comedians?'

Garret turned his head and pointed towards the slightly classier neighborhood to the north. "My house is just over there," he explained, "About twenty minutes from here." He turned back to the two. "Shall we get going?"

"Anything's better than standing here in the downpour," replied Arby tersely.

"Alright then," finished Garret as he turned towards the direction he had pointed and began a slow walk while the girls followed him. "Now, I've got to admit, it's not big or anything. In fact, it's kinda small, but it's home. There's a shower you guys can use if you want and I'm sure I've got a few spare shirts and jeans you two can change into." He glanced back at the females and quickly sized them up. "Er, they might be a little big for you two, but I think they'll suffice while I wash your clothes at the very least."

Arby and Nocturne remained silent as they slowly followed the ferret. The male mobian continued, chatting more without leaving much room for reply or comment, not that any would've came anyways.

"I work at Jack's Burgers by the way, if you couldn't tell by the uniform. It's pretty nice. The pay could be better, but I can't complain too much. Whatever pays the bills, I say. So what do you guys do for a..." he drifted off as he recalled that they were homeless and most likely didn't have an occupation. "Uh, never mind." He thought for a moment as they crossed the empty street about another quarter of the way to his house. "Um, if you guys don't mind me asking... how old are you guys exactly? I mean, you seem pretty young to be, erm, well, homeless."

"Arby's twenty-four and I just recently turned twenty-four myself," volunteered Nocturne.

Arby gave her a quick glare, before focusing back on the ferret several steps ahead of them.

"Oh. So I'm just one year older. I'm twenty-five. I've been working at Jack's for... four years now. Wow. It's already been that long? Huh. Time certainly does fly doesn't it?"

'Not when you keep flapping your gums,' thought Arby sourly. Seriously, she was beginning to regret giving in to Nocturne. The way he was talking, she almost wished he was the type that had a one-track mind like every other guy.

Not long thereafter, the trio came to squat, gray apartment building wedged between two much larger buildings on either side. "I thought you said it was a house," said Arby, not intending it be quite as harsh as it came out.

"House, apartment. It's all the same really," said Garret, shrugging as he fished in his pocket for his keys. Finding them, he inserted one into the lock and pulled the glass pane door open. Standing to the side with the door open in a typically courteous matter as he beckoned for the two girls to enter. The duo stood there, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable. They were sharing the same thoughts when it came to fact they were about to enter a strange building with the intention of staying the night. Garret's inviting smile slowly faded as he noticed the hesitation in their eyes. "It's okay," he said, trying to reassure them, "it's not locked from the inside, I swear. You're free to leave whenever you want."

Snapping to back to reality, Arby shoved her anxiety aside. Taking Nocturne's hand, the hedgehog passed the ferret and stood inside the lobby as the last joined them and shut the door behind them. "See? That wasn't too bad. Hold on a tick, I need to check the mail."

Selecting another key, Garret opened his small mailbox and reached in, drawing out a small bundle of letters. Shutting and locking it, the ferret stepped up to Arby's right side. "My apartment's on the third floor and the elevator's broken, so we'll have to take the stairs. Hope you don't mind climbing a bit, we're almost there."

Leading the way, Garret crossed the vacant lobby and started climbing the first flight of stairs. Halfway up, he paused and turned around to look at the females nervously staring back at him. "Coming?" he asked.

Nodding and apprehensively closing the distance between them and the ferret, the girls kept close to him as he proceeded up the stairs. "You'll have to be careful climbing up these stairs. The walls here are paper thin," he said as he knocked on the staircase wall to make his point. "Although, with how quiet you two have been so far, I don't think that'll be a problem," he joked with a friendly smile.

At last, reaching the door marked #27, Garret came to a stop and jangled his keys as he searched for the one to his flat. Arby and Nocturne glanced around at their surroundings. It was pretty bland and a little run-down, but the most unsettling thing was the silence. It was suffocating to the pair who were more used to the constant, often terrifying noises of the city. But this building, it was like a graveyard.

Finally hunting down the right key, Garret nodded to get the girls' attention and gave them another goofy smile. "Just another second now," he said as he inserted the metal key into the lock. He fiddled with it as he grunted and turned the doorknob. "This lock always sticks," he explained. When the lock did turn, the door flung open unexpectedly and banged against the inner wall. 'Sorry, Phil,' thought Garret as he caught the door and once again waited for the girls to enter before him.

They did and took a few small steps inside before stopping in the pitch-black room. Garret reached in behind them and felt about for the light switch. When he found it, a quick motion upwards illuminated the room. The girls winced as their eyes adjusted to the sudden light and were pleasantly surprised by what they saw. The living room was mostly bare with a dusty, felt couch in the center of the room facing a modest sized flatscreen television and sitting beside a coffee table with a few letters sitting on top of it. Beyond that, the kitchen was half-lit by the living room's lights, but appeared inviting enough with a second-hand wooden table and a few chairs set about it. A refridgator sat in one corner, along with a stove in the other and a microwave, toaster, and coffee maker sat on the countertop. For Arby, it seemed like the first time she'd felt at home in a long time. Perhaps it was the beige wallpaper, or the lightly stained gray carpet. Or maybe it was how everything seemed either relatively new or handed down. Clearly, the ferret made do with what he had and didn't have a pathological need to flaunt non-existant wealth. The furniture itself and the arrangement was simple and embracing. Her guard was let down only for a few moments before she remembered she was merely a guest and that the ferret was just behind them.

"Well, it's not much, but it's home," he stated as he stepped further inside and closed the door. Removing his hat with Jack's logo on it, the ferret smoothed his damp hair back and held his arms open. "Make yourselves at home."

They didn't move.

Garret's expression flickered to one of uncertainity and mild worry. "I'm not gonna bite. Here, have a seat on the couch and I'll go grab some clothes for you to change into." With that, the ferret disappeared down a hallway and left the girls to relax in his absence.

"It was awfully nice of him to let us into his house like this," spoke up Nocturne, slowly moving over towards the couch and lowering herself onto it.

Arby agreed. It **was** rather generous of him, but was she was experienced enough to know that generousity only lasted so long. Still, it would be nice to sleep indoors for a change. Joining the chameleon, she and Nocturne waited in silence for their host to return and gazed around their newest surroundings, taking everything in. After about two minutes, the ferret returned holding a bundle of neutral-colored clothing items. He handed them to Arby and sat back in a folding camping chair he had sitting out against the wall on the same side as the door. "Bathroom's down the hall to the right. First door, can't miss it," he told them.

Exchanging a look, the two female mobians stood up and entered the hallway he indicated towards the bathroom. Meanwhile, the still drenched ferret held up the letters he had gotten in the mailbox and flipped through them unhappily. 'Bill, bill, junk, bill, junk, bill,' he mentally listed as he shuffled through them. A few of them were printed on pink paper, and that's when you knew it was serious. Pink was the most threatening color possible without it being full-on red. He was about to chuck them on aside when one caught his eye. Not a bill, and not junk mail. This one was actually addressed to himself and was in a plain white envelope rarely seen these days, a handwritten letter. He froze when he recognized the name on the return address.  
* * *

Entering the bathroom, Arby shut the door firmly behind her and set the dry clothes the ferret had given them on the counter in the bathroom. Nocturne glanced about. The small room appeared to be a standard washroom. Toilet, shower, sink, all made from mass produced porcelain and kept in adequete condition if a little discolored with age. Arby pulled her wet top off and tossed it the sink. Grabbing the large, black t-shirt on top, the hedgehog squirmed inside of it and tossed her wet hair back. Joining in, Nocturne discarded her own stained tank-top in favor of the ferret's fresh white t-shirt with a emoticon smiley face on the front. The chameleon giggled when she read what was printed on the front of Arby's borrowed shirt.

"I'm not anti-social, I just don't like you," she said aloud.

"What?" asked Arby.

"Your shirt. It's so you."

The hedgehog glanced down at the writing and tried to decipher the upside-down print. She grinned as she brought her violet colored eyes back up to Nocturne's green ones. "Oh yeah? Well I think that cartoon face describes **you** perfectly."

The two laughed for a moment and, in that moment, felt the most comfortable they had in years. When their laughter died, Arby and Nocturne picked up the other two items Garret had lent them. A pair of plain grey mesh, work-out shorts and a pair of white boxers with red hearts. Arby knew they were probably clean, but still... Arby pulled the gym shorts on and Nocturne took the boxers for herself.

At length, the two opened the door once more and reentered the living room. When they got there, they noticed the ferret hadn't moved from his spot and appeared very invested in a piece of paper he was reading, with his hand covering his mouth so they couldn't see what expression was like. Clearing her throat, Nocturne decided to speak up. "Thank you for the clothes, mister."

The ferret looked up as he had forgotten they were there. Folding the letter back up, he set the parchment aside and stood up to greet them once more. "Well, I'm glad to see my clothes fit you guys. For the most part, anyways." He glanced over their figures once and brought his eyes back up theirs. "Where are your wet clothes?"

"In the sink," replied Arby.

"Alright, I'll throw them in the washer and dryer; see if I can't get them cleaned up for you guys. In the meantime, are either of you hungry? I know I am."

Arby agreed and Nocturne nodded. Giving them a place to stay, for the night at least, was enough as it was, but he was going to feed them too? He and this whole situation almost seemed to good to be true. Once again Arby's grown distrust of men and people in general grew as she considered this thought.

"Er, what were you reading?" asked Nocturne. "I mean, if I'm not being intrusive."

"Not at all," answered Garret as he walked over to the kitchen. "One of my old friends sent me a letter. Which is weird."

"Why is that?" inquired Nocturne. She thought friends sent letters to each other quite often, or was she more ignorant than she thought.

"Because I haven't spoken to him in six years," the ferret replied from behind the refridgator door. His head poked up. "You guys like pizza?" he asked, effectively changing the subject.

Judging by their vacant stares, Garret predicted what their response would be.

"What's piz-za?" asked Nocturne naïvely.

Garret blinked for a second then broke into a pleasant grin. "You've never had pizza? Well, then, have I got a treat for you two."

Arby frowned. While he seemed amiable enough, something about the ferret was off. For starters, he was just **way** too damn cheerful. Almost like he was lulling them into a false sense of security before he would inevitably ask for something they weren't willing to give. And then, the problems would arise.

Reaching inside the cool container, the ferret withdrew a large box with a logo featuring some human man with a moustache and chef's hat winking at the duo standing in the living room. Setting it on the counter, Garret opened his cupboard, which was surprisingly barren. Then again, considering he lived alone, maybe it wasn't all that shocking. He reached inside and found a couple cracked ceramic plates with several different paints decorating them. He set the three dishes on the counter beside the box and opened the cardboard container. "Truth is, you can eat it cold, but I believe pizza's best when warm, or fresh out of the stove," said the ferret, as he placed two pieces on each of the plates and one on the last. Closing the empty box, he moved over to the microwave and popped the first plate inside. Pressing a button, he turned and faced the girls as he waited for the timer to buzz down.

It was at that moment when Arby realized how closely she'd been observing the ferret through narrowed eyes. Struggling to let herself relax, her doubts and bitter feeling itched at the back of her mind as she couldn't block them out. After about a minute, the microwave beeped and Garret switched the plate in the microwave with another one. He slammed the microwave door shut again and pressed the same button. Setting the plate on the table, Garret focused his attention on the microwave in front of him. The drifting scent of the unfamiliar dish reached the sensitive noses of both Arby and Nocturne, causing their mouths to water and Arby's belly to growl noticably. Normally, her hunger was just an ever present feeling she could ignore, but somehow the entracing aroma superseded her strict willpower and Arby actually wondered what it tasted like.

The microwave beeped a second time and Garret set the second dish beside the first on the table and put his own in lastly. Arby licked her lips as the pleasurable odor intensified and the gnawing hunger in her stomach grew practically unbearable. She could only imagine how Nocturne must be feeling. A quick glance informed her that the chameleon appeared as ravenous as Arby herself.

Another ten seconds later, the microwave beeped for a third time and Garret brought his dish to the head of the table as he settled himself down in the chair. He tore his gaze from his slice as he looked towards the two females standing awkwardly in his living room looking absolutely starved. "You guys can come in and eat. Those two are for you."

Needing no second bidding both females rushed in and sat in the chairs eagerly, much to both's surprise and disappointment in themselves. Their host must think he's invited a pack of wolves into his home the way they acted around food. However, Garret didn't seem to notice or mind. He just smiled good-naturedly as they got comfortable. "Uh, neither of you are vegetarians, right? This is pepperoni, so-"

"I thought you referred to it as pizza," interrupted Nocturne. Arby aimed a swift kick at the chameleon's exposed legs. "Ow! What did I do?" whined the first mobian.

"It's fine," soothed Garret, instantly knowing what Arby had just done. "I mean the toppings. It's kinda like a spicy sausage, but not particularly hot."

"No, we're not vegetarians," replied Arby as she shot one last condescending glare at the chameleon across from her.

"Perfect," replied Garret, "I never understood that vegan crap. Mobians need protein in a healthy diet. Where are you going to get that in a fruit and vegetable exclusive diet? Kale chips? Yuck, no thanks."

Neither Arby nor Nocturne had a reply to that. Glancing at the ferret to see how he consuming his slice, the two females each picked up one of their slices and gaze it a small nibble to test whether it tasted as good as it smelled. Nocturne's eyes widened as the cheesy texture mixed with zesty tomato paste touched her tastebuds and the same happened to Arby when she got her first taste of the greasy food item. Garret chuckled with amusement as he observed their reactions. "Pretty good isn't it?" he asked, swallowing another bite. Both girls nodded as they took another eager bie, and another, and another, and another. Before they realized it, they had consumed the entire first slice in less than a minute and started on the second. Garret just laughed quietly to himself when he noticed his damp clothes were starting to reek of wet french fries and ferret. Setting his half-eaten slice back on his plate, the ferret stood up and excused himself to go change. As he departed, the girls tore through their second slice and shared disappointed looks when they realized their plates were empty. That pizza had been so good and Arby found herself instantly craving more.

The seconds their host was gone dragged by like an eternity as they waited for something, but unsure of exactly what they were waiting for. At length, both girls noticed the ferret's half-eaten slice still sitting on his plate, slowly cooling. Arby's stomach growled once again, less agressively, but persistantly nonetheless. She knew it would be inappropiate her to swipe the food from her host's plate, but it was **very** tempting. Unbeknownst to her, Nocturne was having the exact same thoughts just across from her. Only five seconds later, her desire overwhelmed her inhibitions and she launched forward to grab the slice. One more bite couldn't hurt, surely Garret wouldn't notice just one nibble missing? A mere split-second after Arby moved, Nocturne mimicked her movement, trying to get at the same piece her friend was. The two wrestled briefly in silence before the pizza slice tore and each chowed down on their half of a half of a slice. Mere moments after Arby licked her lips, savoring the flavor did she realize what she and Nocturne had just done. Oh no.

Garret returned not two seconds later, clad in a white undershirt and plaid pajama bottoms. "So I just started the laundry and they should be done by-" he cut off when he noticed his plate was slightly less full than when it had been when he left. He turned his gaze upwards towards the two sheepish looking women who could not look more guilty if they were trying. Instead of asking what had happened to his half-slice or instantly chewing them out for their rudeness, Garret just burst into a sudden fit of laughter, much to both female's bafflement and surpise.

"Uh..." spoke Nocturne, unsure of how to interpret the ferret's strange behavior.

When he stopped, Garret sat back at the table and folded his hands behind his head. "I guess you gals were hungrier than I thought."

"Aren't you mad we ate your food?" asked Arby, astounded by the ferret's lack of righteous fury.

"No. Should I be? You girls probably needed it more than I did. In fact, I wish I had more to give you, but that was all I had in the fridge."

Nocturne looked a little crestfallen.

"Aw, don't worry. There's more where that came from, but not until tomorrow. It's past midnight, and the pizza shop closes at ten. Speaking of which, I have to work tomorrow morning, so it's proably a good time to make sleeping arrangements," said the ferret as he lowered his hands onto the table and leaned forward. "You two can take my room. The sheets and covers are fairly cleaned, I only slept there last night for about four hours before I had to get up for work."

"We don't mean to impose," butted in Arby gently. "You've already done enough. Nocturne and I can-"

"Nonsense," interrupted the ferret. "I didn't bring you in from the cold and rain just to throw you guys on the couch or floor. Besides, the couch really only beds one. I'll be fine for one night."

Arby looked ready to argue, but Nocturne cut her off. "Thank you, sir. We're very grateful."

Garret shook his head. "No problem. And stop calling me 'sir' and 'mister', please just call me Garret."

"Very well, Mis-, er, Garret."

Standing up, Garret motioned for them to follow him. They complied and ended up in the room at the end of the hall. "The bed's big enough for two, but obviously I usually, that is, always, sleep alone, so... yeah. Have at it. I'll stay up to switch the laundry and then be off to bed myself. Er, the couch... in the living room... you know, not in here with... you get it." With that, the ferret left and Arby and Nocturne crawled into the bed. Arby glanced around the room. It was unkempt, but not dirty, and aside from an uninteresting dresser and a closet door, there wasn't much of interest. In the far left corner, a computer desk sat with a computer monitor switched off.

"So, this was unexpected," whispered Nocturne.

"My thoughts exactly," replied Arby. "Hit the lights, will you?"

Nocturne's tongue shot out of her mouth across the room to the lightswitch and flicked the lights off. In the darkened room, the two turned towards opposite directions and rested as they reflected on their current stroke of luck and how long it would last, waiting for sleep to come.  
* * *

In the living room, Garret flopped down on the couch and flipped on the television, surfing through the channels until he came across a late-night sketch comedy and watched that listlessly as he waited for the laundry to finish. Catching himself dozing off a handful of times, Garret had nearly succumbed to slumber when the washer buzzed obnoxiously, indicating it was finished. Startled awawke, Garret glanced towards the hallway with the washer and dryer and sighed as he heaved himself up to switch the wet clothes over to the dryer.

With that task completed, Garret returned to his couch, shut off the telly, and flicked the lights off. With a tired breath, Garret settled himself down on the couch and noticed with some disdain that the furniture was still damp from when the females had sat there in their wet garments. Nevertheless he didn't blame the girls nor did he particularly mind, after all they had been through that night, they definitely needed the break. As he thought about the brief time he had spent with them, he suddenly found himself hoping they didn't plan to leave in the morning. Entertaining that wish, Garret pondered why he would feel crushed if they left. Part of it was he wouldn't get to say good-bye, another part of it was he knew more than likely they would just end up in the same situation he found them in the first place, except this time, he probably wouldn't be there to intervene. But that wasn't the main reason, he knew. There was something else. Something he felt strongly about, but couldn't for the life of him place it. He yawned. He pushed it off as his tired mind not working correctly. If there was a real reason behind his anxiety over them leaving, it would come to him in the morning. Probably.  
* * *

"Arby?"

"Hm?"

"Are you still awake?"

"Barely."

Silence.

"What?"

"Do we really have to leave in the morning?"

A pause.

"Nocturne, we've been over this."

"Garret's not a bad guy. We could stay here, get back on our feet, be-"

"Sure, he's nice and generous now, but when happens when we keep mooching off of him and he expects us to do something for him? What then?"

More silence.

"He's not that kind of-"

"Nocturne, believe me. He's a guy just like any other. Sooner or later he's going to want something in return, they always do. We shouldn't have even come with him in the first place. I only agreed because you gave me those puppy dog eyes and-"

"And what if he doesn't?"

"He will."

Another pause.

"How do you know?"

"Because it's happened before."

"How can you be so cynical?"

"It's called mobian nature. There's only so much shit you take before you start to get the big picture."

"I don't everyone's like that."

"You poor fool."

"Arby."

"What?"

"I love you, but sometimes you can be a real downer. You know that?"

Arby smiled despite herself.

"Yeah. I know."

"Good night."

"Same."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So there are a lot of potential questions to be asked about this chapter. Who is the "old friend" Garret talks about? Why is there suddenly a letter after them not talking in "six years"? What could the letter be about? What about Arby? Why does she have such a negative view on men, the world, and people in general? And near the ending of this chapter, why is Garret worried about them leaving in the morning? Any thoughts, ideas, or possible explanations? Let me hear them.


End file.
